


The Thunder Rolls On and On

by Merfilly



Category: The Thunder Rolls (Garth Brooks Song)
Genre: Adultery, Domestic Violence, F/M, Infidelity, Inspired by Music
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-02
Updated: 2013-12-28
Packaged: 2017-11-23 08:22:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/620045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She didn't kill him. She knew she'd pay the penalty anyway, but if she ruined him, it would be worth it.</p><p>Then she meets Regina.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> "She guns back down the hallway  
>  And through the bedroom door  
>  She reaches for the pistol, kept in the dresser drawer  
>  Tells the lady in the mirror, he won't do this again  
>  'Cause tonight will be the last time.....  
>  She'll wonder where he's been" -- _The Thunder Rolls Extended Version_

She was calm enough as the police and EMTs did their job, waiting in the police car for the ride to where her lawyer was. She had called 9-1-1, after all, and the wound wasn't that major. Her .22 at the range she'd fired had merely inconvenienced him.

Still, she would wait for her lawyer to make her statement, do it all by the books. It would work in her favor to draw this to court, so that his name was smeared in the papers for the cheating bastard he was, ruining his chances of climbing higher in local politics.

`~`~`~`~`

"Ms. Smith?"

"I'd prefer to be called Ms. Latham, as I will be filing a divorce motion side by side with this case," the woman, still perfectly composed despite the prison orange jumpsuit, informed her court appointed lawyer.

The lawyer set her notepad down and held out a hand to shake. "My name is Regina Lamont. I've been asked to handle your case, but haven't had a chance to see the full documents. Some form of bureaucratic error."

The accused nodded, then looked up as the detective joined them. "Now that I have counsel, I will tell you everything."

`~`~`~`~`

If this had been a state known for cut-and-dry legalities, Regina figured she probably would not have even been engaged for the case. All she had been warned was she was defending the red-handed half of a domestic violence case. With the police having her call to 9-1-1 requesting medical aid for her shot husband, them arriving to find her sitting on the steps, gun neatly on the sidewalk, and her absolute compliance, Regina wondered why she had insisted on counsel before speaking at all.

She found herself listening to the tale of the 'small' domestic abuses of neglect, emotional cruelty, and minor physical confrontations that her client had faced. The very dispassionate tone and rote recital of the last few weeks leading up to the incident of the night prior leant credence to a move for temporary insanity as far as Regina was concerned.

"Last night, John had promised to be in for dinner, then he called to say he was working late," Ms. Latham was saying, and Regina paid close attention. She preferred to know if her clients were lying, though she did all she could, no matter what, as part of the justice system to represent them fairly. "It was the last straw, as I knew it meant he was going to see her instead. I could give him the benefit of the doubt, think it was the weather keeping him out late, but... I was prepared."

"You shot your husband over his infidelity," the officer said, without any sympathy at all, despite the purported domestic abuse.

Personally, Regina was of the opinion that any man who consistently ridiculed his wife, kept her financially and socially dependent, then went out to find some other entertainment in his bed deserved what they got. She was so glad her John Smith was just an up and coming attache to the mayor's office. He lived for his work, sharing the headaches that the public defenders faced when it came to public relations at the city level.

Such a common name, and she'd even seen John last night, working over details concerning the next trial that was near to closing. Regina kept the chill from making her shiver, but just barely. Her client's husband was an absolute sleaze.

"It was the final point," Ms. Latham said firmly. "I aimed carefully not to hurt him for long, but I had to pay back some of the hurt he'd given me all these years. I was there, supporting him all through high school, college, his internship, and through it all, he's only been using me, as he uses all his cronies in the political circles he keeps. Only, they get to rise with him. He kept pushing me down."

Regina's blood went cold. 

Two John Smiths in political circles? Even in a city this big, that was a little too much to bank on, especially given where _her_ John had been until the late hours of the night.

"So your intent was merely to injure, yet you had premeditated this?"

"Do not answer that; it's leading you to higher charges. In fact, you have said all you need to for the interview to be over." Regina smoothly took control. "Detective, I will need to have my duly appointed rightful consultation with my client now."

"We've got enough for certain," the man said, ending this part of the process.

`~`~`~`~`

"Ms. Latham, we are completely private now," Regina said. She wished she could make this easier, but there were only so many ways to admit you were helping a man adulterate his vows.

"I know I will have to serve time for what I did; what I want is a messy trial," the woman in orange said.

"Oh, he'll have that. I'm afraid I will have to find new counsel for you," Regina admitted. At Ms. Latham's attention focusing on her so strongly, Regina took a deep breath. "Silken Senses is the scent you smelled last night. I know... because I'm the woman he was using to hurt you."

"What?!" 

"Ms. Latham, I had no idea he was married. And from how often you said he was gone, I have a feeling I was not the only one. Will you let me help you? I want to see you walk free, which means using your status as a domestic abuse survivor...yes ma'am, that is what you are... to our advantage. I will find you a good counsel, help fund it. And between us, we'll figure out who the others are, if I am right." Regina gave her a winning smile, one cold and edgy. "Together, we can make certain that John never works the public sector again."

Ms. Latham considered, listening to the rain patter against the window as she did. So many possibilities, and so many dangerous risks, yet she'd already begun the path, hadn't she? Outside, a low rumble of thunder built and shook the old window in the room, reminding her strongly of the previous night.

"Together," she agreed.


	2. Court Adjourned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina waits for Ms. Latham.

Regina smiled as the verdict was read. Guilty, but sentence commuted to time served was probably the best they could do, given the premeditation part of it all.

She waited around for Ms. Latham to be freed, and was watching for her to exit. Without calling her name, she just waved, and Ms. Latham walked over to her.

"It's over," she breathed.

Regina nodded. "For us. I've talked to every woman I could determine he'd cheated with, and they are all going to use their influence to try and shield you, me, and each other from retribution. Hopefully, it will be enough that any cronies he had that were thinking about helping him will think twice."

Ms. Latham nodded. "I may move anyway," she admitted.

Regina nodded. "I understand… but first, Ms. Latham, may I take you to dinner for your bravery?"

Her former, short-lived client looked at her in surprise, then nodded. "If you call me Gail."

"Gail. And I am Regina. I hope, despite the past, we can be friends?"

"I think we already are, Regina."


End file.
